‘She has made her rounds’: Businesses speak out about customer refusing to pay

Winnipeg businesses are speaking out about a woman who they say has left without paying for services at multiple businesses. Jeff Keele reports.

Winnipeg police say a Winnipeg beauty salon is out more than $2,000 after a customer refused to pay.

According to officers, a 31-year-old woman was charged on Monday with theft under $5,000.

It was on Feb. 18 when staff at the boutique in the 1–99 block of Marion Street contacted police, alleging that a client had received $2,072 in beauty treatments but left before paying.

The allegations have not been tested in court.

Tammie Dueck, owner of Cutting Loose Hair Design in St. Vital, said they had an interaction with the same woman at her business in January 2025.

“It is the same individual. She has made her rounds,” she said.

Dueck recorded the incident on video.

She said the woman received $75 worth of services, but when it came time to pay, the woman said she had to get her debit card and offered to leave a bag behind.

“So let me go look for my debit card and my stuff. I left everything here,” a woman can be heard saying in Dueck’s video of the alleged incident.

Dueck can then be heard saying no to the woman multiple times.

“That bag is worth $50,” the woman’s voice said.

“I don’t care. I don’t work in a pawn shop,” Dueck responded.

Dueck and her staff called police and locked the door, which stopped the woman from leaving.

In the end, Dueck said they unlocked the door and let her go.

Police confirmed they received a call about the incident and no arrests were made.

CTV News made contact with the woman about doing an interview but did not receive a response.

The 31-year-old has a lengthy court record dating back to December 2024, with fraud and theft-related convictions.

Her picture is being shared on social media by businesses, saying they’ve had contact with her too.

Jeffrey’s Restaurant and Johnny’s Maples Pizza co-owner Don Mackenzie believes he had interactions with her, too.

Mckenzie said they’ve had to deal with other problem patrons who dine and dash. He’s considering a prepayment system and installing an ID scanner at the door, like Liqour Marts.

“So then you know who is in the building, who’s here at all times,” he said.

In a sign of the times, Dueck has a sign on her door that says it’s locked after 5 p.m. for safety. She’s also put up security cameras and is mulling a pay-up-front plan, too.

“Eighty-five per cent of the people who come in the door we do know and have repeat clients, but it’s that 15 per cent you just don’t know,” she said.